Playing For Keeps
by KatRoyal
Summary: Cat is about to be pushed to her very limits as she is forced to decide who's become closest to her heart. Is it the dazzling French boy she left so long ago? Her sworn enemy since childhood? Or one of her best friends, gone rogue? Amidst this complicated dance of emotions Cat finds herself in what may be her most dangerous adventure yet. And this time...she'll be playing for keeps


_**"I'm gonna let you go and walk away…like every day I said I would."**_

**CHAPTER-1**

I stood gazing at the ruins of my old home. The theatre had never looked more forlorn in my eyes as it did in the drizzling rain that day. The once proud establishment was scattered, torn to pieces as Mr. Sheridan had wanted.  
Today I wondered if the man who'd once housed me would be sad at seeing the theatre in ruin like this. If, somewhere in his being, it might hurt him as much as it did me. This had been my home for as long as I could remember.

But as things are Reader…buildings do not stand forever.

Why am I in such a state, you ask? Truthfully, I'm not quite certain.

Perhaps I'll just tell you how things are faring these days and then both of us might understand this dismal feeling I have.

Syd, you see, is quite well. He and Bridget are to be married tonight. Tonight. I shake my head at that fact over and over again. I cannot make myself believe that my matchmaking attempts actually worked. But that is what's come of my meddling.  
They are so happy. I've seen it in Syd's blue eyes every day for a while now and don't feel bad that he moved on from me. I know, of course, that he'll always care for me as a sister and friend. I'll never lose that.  
Bridget…the short time I've known her we've become like family. I see her as my sister and I cannot deny the happiness I see in her since the day Syd asked her to marry him. She's loved him since the day she first laid eyes on him, I think.

Frank will be at the small affair tonight. He's just graduated from college; he and Charlie are quite the business partners from what I hear these days. Both are just as much of troublemakers as they were in the days we went to school together. If anything, Frank has grown more roguishly handsome. His dark eyes a fire that burn with his desire to roam the world for new adventures.  
I recognized that desire as I'd seen it in my own green eyes whenever I looked into a mirror for the past few months.

Charlie would be happy to join us. He'd grown used to dealing with merchants and traveled some. A man desired by many young women, his faint accent enough to make the strongest of girls swoon. Or so I've been told by Frank. You can believe as much as you wish on that one.

I've received a letter from Pedro recently and he and Jenny have been married for a while now. She is expecting a child that both parents are very happy about. Pedro has asked me to be the child's godmother, much like Lizzie and Johnny with little Catherine. Pedro has also said that they'll be here in time for Syd and Bridget's wedding. It's been so long since I've seen either one of them, I'm sure they'll have so many stories to entertain us all with.

So why don't I feel that same excitement I once did, Reader?

I cannot explain my mood. It's as poor as this horrible weather. I never thought I would miss being kidnapped my Ibrahim in Paris, shanghaied into His Majesty's Royal Navy, living with the Creek Indians, the prospect of being killed by Billy Shepherd. I also did not expect to miss being younger.

I was around 18 now.

I was watching my oldest friends settle down.

I had no adventure right now. I was older…my body was that of a woman's now, my chest prominent enough so I could not disguise as a boy nowadays, though I have tried.

Believe me, I have.

"Well hello there Kitten." Billy's rough voice shook me out of my fog of memories.

I almost snapped back with my usual response, 'Don't call me Kitten.' but instead kept the peace. It would serve well not to pick a fight with Billy on Syd's day.

An equally rough hand landed on my shoulder as Billy pulled me towards an overhang of overgrown vines. "You're wet through, Cat." A muffled curse came under his breath as he slipped out of the dark coat he was wearing to toss over my shoulders. I could swear there was almost concern in his voice.

"I'm fine, Billy." I finally spoke, my tongue forming a response for the boy, now man, who'd tormented me since I was little.

He gave me a little shake, "Why are you here? Fletcher's looking for you." He cocked a darkly cynical eyebrow at my silence, "Don't tell me you've finally fallen for the Butcher, Moggy."

The tears in my eyes were not expected and I didn't bother to look away from Billy's sharp gaze. I did speak however, "I love Syd as a friend and nothing more."

Callused fingertips touched below one of my eyes at the teardrop I wished was rain. Billy's tenderness was bizarre. I didn't move away from the touch though and he let his hand drop after a moment, giving a gruff laugh.

"Has the Kitten finally given up?" He asked and for the first time I looked up at him. Really looked at him.

"Given up on what, Billy?" I studied his face; his jaw was clean and strong, the boil on his nose long gone and healed, leaving only the faintest of scars. His greyish eyes held a spark of promise.

A promise of what? God only knows.

He had grown handsome I supposed. It had taken long enough, that I was sure. He had a light scar that traced down the side of his neck and to the middle of his chest, disappearing into his shirt. I had never seen it before and it made me curious as to who'd done it.

I stared at the scar until my fingers inched their way to Billy's neck and traced the line to his chest, to the top of his shirt…felt my body flush at his skin beneath my fingers and heard his voice say in my ear.

"Given up fighting me?"

My fingers stiffened and before they could drop he caught them and wrapped his large hand around my small one.

I swallowed hard, chest tight with…anticipation?

"Fighting you is like breathing Billy." I tried for an old jab. "Either I do it or I die."

Billy's expression was serious as he stared at me but he only said, "Come get warm at my house and then you can go explain yourself to Fletcher before the wedding."

I offered a dubious look, "I'll go there now and-"

I was scooped up before I could finish my sentence and squealed in protest. "Put me down, Billy!" I demanded. "I don't need to be killed today!"

Was he…chuckling?

With a growl I started wriggling to little avail. It wasn't much later that a door swung open and I was sat back on my feet gently. With that freedom I promptly swung about and my hand connected with Billy's cheek.

"Hey now," He caught my wrist, "None of that, Cat."

I pulled my arm back, eager to get away from that burning sensation I wasn't at all sure I liked. Or maybe it was that I liked it too much and I didn't like that I liked it.

Away from the heat of another body I felt the chill start to seep into my bones and I shivered. Perhaps Billy was right and should get warm for a moment. Then I could go back to help Bridget get ready.

But if I was honest about it, I followed Billy into a sitting room simply because I didn't _want _to go back right then. I wanted…I wasn't sure what I wanted.

I sank onto the floor before the fire silently and heard Billy leave the room behind me without a word. The warmth of the fire was only just enough to take the edge off my chilled body and I was glad when a woman appeared in the doorway and offered to take me upstairs to change.

Upstairs, I let my eyes rove over the delicate artwork. Not horrible like the last place Billy had. It was tasteful, much like a home. Much like a woman had been here and given it her touch.

"In here, Miss." The woman opened a door and led me into a small bedroom, furnished with dark mahogany furniture and light colored walls; there was a foreign feel to it. Something like Paris.

My eyes fell to a tub full of steaming water in front of a roaring fire and I thought nothing had ever looked more inviting.

"Shall I help you bathe, Miss Cat?" The woman offered and I shook my head, no.

"I can manage, thank you."

"I've lain out a few dresses on the bed in the next room. Just open that door," The woman pointed to a small door in the middle of the room, "And you'll see them. I hope everything's to your liking. I wasn't sure what would fit."

I was still eyeing the hot water and barely paying attention to the woman. "Thank you, I'm sure everything is fine."

The woman nodded and pulled the door closed behind her.

I slipped out of my wet dress with a fair amount of difficulty, my wet underthings clinging to me when I'd finally gotten my dress off. But finally I was able to sink my body into the water and sigh with relief.

The warmth soothed the chill and made my head droop sleepily until my lips touched the water.

This was perhaps the most wonderful thing Billy had ever done in his life. I didn't know why he'd done it, didn't think I really wanted to know because with Billy nothing ever came without a price. And when something has a price with Billy, I just chose not to dwell on it then.

After the water had cooled significantly I climbed out and wrapped a large towel about myself and made my way to the next room for clothing. Which I found neatly laid out on the bed as the woman had promised.

Once I had on dry underthings I looked to the three dresses. One was a pale blue with lots of lace, one deep red and unremarkable and the last an emerald green with sleeves that dipped to the elbow and were shorter on the inside.

I pulled the green one over my head slowly and wriggled into it, surprised that it fell away from my shoulders to fit snugly around them, baring my shoulders, the crystal stitching under my chest emphasizing what my body had grown into.

My damp red hair looked like flames around my face as I looked into a mirror. I'd never looked prettier in my life.

I touched my still freckled cheek and was surprised to see another face beside mine in the mirror. Billy's grey eyes took me in, almost calculating my expression.

"Could you have knocked first? I might not have been dressed."

Billy grinned at my reprimand. "But you are."

I rolled green eyes at the man and turned away so I could fasten the back of the dress.

"Here, let me help." Billy offered, and pushed my hands away as I protested adamantly. "I'm not going to hurt you." He winked, "Least not yet."

"You do know how to make a girl feel at home, Billy." I replied sarcastically.

Billy's hands worked deftly and I was fastened in moments, though one of his hands lingered at the back of my bare neck as he said, "You don't look like a girl anymore, Cat."

I inched away from his hands, "No need to ruin my picture of myself, Billy. There'll be plenty of time for it later."

He muttered something under his breath before grasping me around the waist and dragging me to the mirror and spinning me to face it. "I meant you look like a woman, Kitten. You're not a child anymore."

I gazed at my reflection with Billy behind me. He was right, I wasn't a child anymore. But coming from Billy Shepherd…well let's just say Reader, that I didn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

"I need to go if I'm going to help Bridget get ready." I said for lack of anything else. "I'll return the dress as soon as I can."

"You can keep it Cat." Billy said quietly.

I watched his eyes in the mirror, "Maybe it was you that stopped fighting with me Billy." I suggested, not at all used to the intense look in his eyes or the gentleness in his touch. This was Billy Shepherd. Where was the knife appearing out of nowhere to hold me hostage for some petty reason?

His hands were still on my waist and he swung me around to face him. "I'll always fight for you Kitten."

_For you. _

I was at a loss for words Reader. I didn't recognize this Billy and he frightened me more than old Billy ever had.

Our eyes found each other's about the same time his mouth burned into mine and I gasped. We'd kissed once before. Once had been dangerous. Twice was…downright treacherous.

My hand closed into a fist, clutching a handful of his shirt to keep myself upright.

When he pulled away I reeled back, stunned to say the least and decided now was a good time to do what I did best…run.

Like all cats do well.

**Well then. This is technically the start of a new story. I hope you like it. :)**


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